Painting and Photography: Different Worlds

    Post-Impressionism was a movement that followed Impressionism, characterized by a more expressive and individualistic approach to art. Post-Impressionist artists sought to move beyond Impressionism, using color and form in a more abstract manner. Notable artists from this period include Van Gogh, Cézanne, Seurat, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Post-Impressionism can be identified by its use of bold colors, thick brushstrokes, and a more structured approach to form, with a greater focus on emotion and symbolism.

    Photography has actually been around for quite some time, and most people might be amazed to learn that the first photo was taken almost 200 years ago. Given the advances in lenses and optics that began with Galileo's invention of the telescope in 1608, photography could have been invented even earlier. Unlike paintings, photography is a completely different medium and has advanced significantly during the modern era.

Let's get to analyzing!

    

Starry Night Over the Rhône, Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

    I'd like to start by discussing a couple of my favorite Post-Impressionist pieces. The first is Starry Night Over the Rhône by Van Gogh. Although I have already covered another of Van Gogh's works in a previous post, his art always brings me joy. This is not the Starry Night most people think of when it comes to his work, but it is easily recognized as a Van Gogh masterpiece. The large, thick brush strokes, vivid and bold colors, and abstract style are hallmarks of Post-Impressionist art, and Van Gogh may be one of the most recognized artists of that era.  

    This painting was created as part of Van Gogh's series of night paintings. He enjoyed setting up a chair and easel to capture the world as he saw it. In the background, we see numerous gas lamps illuminating the city, a couple of boats in the harbor, and a couple at the bottom of the painting, perhaps enjoying a nightly stroll. Although these details are prominent, Van Gogh wanted to draw our attention to the night sky, with stars shining brightly and lighting up the scene. The blue hues throughout the painting are illuminated by this starlight. The reflections in the water not only showcase the night sky's blue tones but also project the far-reaching light of the gas lamps. A charming detail is the depiction of waves in the water. When I see them, I can almost hear the sound of the waves crashing against the boat in my mind.

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The Old Guitarist, Pablo Picasso, 1903

    The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso is a melancholic painting. He created it in Madrid after the suicide of a close friend. Having experienced poverty himself the previous year, Picasso painted many canvases depicting those marginalized by society. It's easier to portray something you have personally endured. Notice how the primary color of the painting is blue, emphasizing the somber mood. Although the old man is the central figure, the guitar stands out in stark contrast with its brown color.

    Both Van Gogh and Picasso were experts at paintings that convey what they wanted the world to see.  Now let's take a look at another medium that lets you see the world for what it is.  Photography.

    Photography is something I love and hold very dear to my heart. Like painting, it allows the world to glimpse how you see it. It's not as simple as just pointing a camera and pressing the shutter. Finding a subject, choosing the right lens for a specific focal distance, and determining the exposure time are just a few of the many aspects modern photographers must master to capture an image. When photography first began, it was even more complex.

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View from the Window at Le Gras, Joseph Nicephore Niepce, 1826 

    View from the Window at Le Gras is the very first photograph ever captured. When Niepce took this image, it wasn't called a photograph but a sun-drawing or "heliography," as he termed it. In today's terms, we would refer to this as a long exposure, as it took 8 hours to capture. Imagine holding a shutter open for that long to get an image!

    Photography was more of a science base way of getting an image.  Now let's look at how science was able to get a portrait.

A portrait of Dorothy Draper   

    This is a portrait of Dorothy Draper taken in 1839. It is notable for being the first photographed portrait of a woman with her eyes open. The exposure time was 65 seconds, meaning it took that long for light to expose the film and capture the image. A contraption called a Daguerreotype holder kept the person in place to prevent movement, ensuring a clear image. Any movement during the exposure would cause the picture to blur, making it difficult to discern the subject. Interestingly, the exposure time wasn't sufficient to properly capture her face, so flour was applied to her face to achieve the correct contrast against her clothing.

    Photography has come a long way since its inception. Today, anyone with a smartphone has a camera on hand. There's no need to set up elaborate buildings to trace a shadow on a wall or use long cameras with bellows that display an upside-down image while waiting on long exposures.

    Let me show you a couple photos I have taken of taken such as a landscape and portrait in modern times.  Crazy to see the difference.

691 (no date) Van Gogh Letters. Available at: https://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters/let691/letter.html (Accessed: 16 July 2024).

The Old Guitarist, 1903 by Pablo Picasso (no date) The old guitarist, 1903 by Pablo Picasso. Available at: https://www.pablopicasso.org/old-guitarist.jsp (Accessed: 16 July 2024).

The Wonderful World of early photography. (2011) Neatorama. Available at: https://www.neatorama.com/2006/08/29/the-wonderful-world-of-early-photography/ (Accessed: 16 July 2024).